6 Ways to get your family organized

Unclutter your life

Living with other people can be stressful, if only because of the mess they leave behind. Living with kids, however, is a different beast. Teaching your family how to get organized can greatly reduce your work and day-to-day anxiety about keeping a clean home. Here are a few ways to get your family organized, clean and uncluttered.

Teach them young

This is the primary step to having a clean, organized home. While your child is young, stress the importance of keeping their toys put away when they're not using them. Stress that it gives them more room for activities.

Utilize storage containers

The days of ugly, plastic containers are gone. Though they're still available, storage containers also come in pretty patterns and fabrics that you don't necessarily need to hide. Place stray toys, DVDs and magazines in easily-accessible storage containers. They won't break the bank, and they'll have your place looking uncluttered in no time.

Hide toys under the bed

But don't keep them loose. Thin storage containers will slide perfectly under the bed, keeping toys organized and out of the way. It's also a super easy way to organize. Simply toss them in the bin, place under the bed and marvel at your new, uncluttered space.

Have a donate day

There are plenty of families in need that would love your gently-used things that perhaps you've even forgotten about. Donate those clothes, coats, toys and trinkets you no longer use. It frees up space and allows someone else to snag them up and give your things a whole new life and purpose.

File those documents

In an otherwise spotless office, leaving loose paper and documents around looks messy. File away stray paper in a filing bin with appropriate labels. That way it won't be such a strenuous searching game when you need to find that important paper. Place the bin away in a closet and forget about it until you actually need that particular document.

Use drop-down hangers

Drop-down hangers can be used as regular, in-line hangers. The only difference is that they can be released into one hanger, which makes your garments flow in a clean, organized vertical line. This is perfect for those coats, pants and sweaters during the summer. It frees up more space for the things you need that particular season, and makes it easier to transition your wardrobe as the winter months set in.